KEY POINTS

  • Trump could be charged with obstructing an official proceeding for pressuring Pence to delay the counting of electoral votes
  • He could also be indicted for attempting to convince state election officials that the 2020 election was 'stolen' from him
  • Only the Justice Department can bring criminal charges against Trump

Former President Donald Trump could face a number of charges as the House Select Committee continues to build a case over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The House Select Committee, which is tasked with investigating the events that led up to the Capitol riot in January 2021, has begun holding public hearings where it presents evidence proving Trump’s role in attempting to illegally overturn the 2020 election. Though the committee can gather evidence and investigate Trump’s potential crimes, it will be up to the Department of Justice to bring criminal charges against Trump or his allies.

There are several charges that many believe prosecutors could bring against Trump, as per Reuters.

Obstructing An Official Proceeding

The panel recently found evidence that Trump mounted a pressure campaign against then-Vice President Mike Pence in an attempt to get him to reject slates of electors for Joe Biden or delay the counting of electoral votes.

"Evidence and information available to the Committee establishes a good-faith belief that Mr. Trump and others may have engaged in criminal and/or fraudulent acts," the committee said in a court filing, which was filed in federal court in Los Angeles in March.

Conspiracy To Defraud The United States

In the court filing submitted in March, the panel also said Trump worked with others to defraud the U.S. following their attempts to convince state election officials, the public and members of Congress that the 2020 election was "stolen" from him, even after several of his allies dismissed his claims of voter fraud.

One such state election official who Trump pressured to “find” enough votes for him to win the 2020 election was Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

"We have won the election in Georgia based on all of this. And there’s nothing wrong with saying that, Brad. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state," Trump said during the phone call.

The Justice Department, headed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has yet to signal whether it intends to indict Trump.

Capitol Police outside the US Supreme Court
Capitol Police outside the US Supreme Court GETTY IMAGES via AFP / Nathan Howard